Babies Breastfeeding For Mom Common Causes of Headaches When Breastfeeding By Donna Murray, RN, BSN facebook twitter Donna Murray, RN, BSN has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rutgers University and is a current member of Sigma Theta Tau, the Nursing Honor Society. Learn about our editorial process Donna Murray, RN, BSN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Anita Sadaty, MD on November 24, 2019 facebook linkedin Anita Sadaty, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, resident instructor at Northwell Health, and founder of Redefining Health Medical. Learn about our Review Board Anita Sadaty, MD on November 24, 2019 Print More in Babies Breastfeeding For Mom As Baby Grows Challenges Pumping & Storing Baby's First Year Growth & Development Health & Safety Everyday Care Formula Baby Food Preemies Postpartum Care Gear and Products View All In general, headaches are just part of life. At some point, we all suffer from them. Although it might be uncomfortable, the occasional headache is usually not a concern. Headaches can develop during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Nursing women may experience a headache for many reasons, including these 7 common triggers. 1 Delivery Room Anesthesia BSIP/UIG Getty Images You can develop a headache if you had an epidural or a spinal block during delivery. If some of the fluid in your spine leaks out during the anesthesia process and the level of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in your body goes down, it can cause a headache. In most cases, no treatment is necessary. Your headache should resolve on its own with rest and fluids. However, if it continues for longer than a day, your doctor may perform a procedure to help relieve the pain. 2 The Let-Down Reflex Joel Rodgers/Moment/Getty Images Some women get a headache while they're breastfeeding. The let-down of breast milk and the release of the hormone oxytocin may be to blame. This type of headache is called a lactation headache. Sometimes a lactation headache will resolve after a few weeks, but it could continue to occur until you wean your child. If you suffer from headaches while you're nursing your baby, talk to your doctor. An over-the-counter pain medication such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin (ibuprofen) may provide some relief and allow you to continue breastfeeding. 3 Breast Engorgement Alex Bramwell/Moment/Getty Images A lactation headache can also develop if your breasts become hard, swollen, and overfull. Oxytocin, the same hormone that's believed to be responsible for let-down headaches, is also associated with breast engorgement. Try to stay ahead of engorgement as much as possible by breastfeeding or pumping often. 4 Poor Nutrition and Dehydration Tooga/Getty Images If you don't eat enough, or if you skip meals, your blood sugar levels can drop. If you don't take in enough fluids each day, you can become dehydrated. Both of these situations can lead to weakness, exhaustion, and headaches. Since breastfeeding requires extra calories and fluids, try to maintain a well-balanced diet. Eat at least three meals a day, along with a variety of healthy snacks, and drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated. If you're getting headaches more often than you did before your baby was born, or if you're experiencing headaches of greater intensity than you previously experienced, call your doctor. 5 Fatigue JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images New moms are tired and sleep-deprived. Lack of sleep and exhaustion can contribute to the onset of a headache. Try to nap when your baby is sleeping, and get help with household tasks. You may be able to ward off the headaches if you can get some more rest. 6 Too Much Screen Time Catherine Delahaye/DigitalVision/Getty Images Since it can be hard to hold a book while breastfeeding, some moms read on a tablet or smartphone while their baby nurses. But spending too much time looking at the screen of your computer, tablet, or smartphone can tire your eyes and cause a headache. Get enough rest, take frequent breaks from reading, and limit your screen time to reduce the strain on your eyes and help prevent headaches. If you continue to get headaches from eye strain, see your eye doctor. You may need glasses or a prescription change. 7 Allergies and Sinus Infections Tetra Images/Getty Images Allergies, hay fever, and sinus infections can cause pain and pressure in your head. If you suffer from allergies, or if you think you have an infection, talk to your doctor about treatment. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Track your baby’s most exciting moments with our milestone checklist. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Saada F, Mannel R, Krishnaiengar S. Subarachnoid pneumocephalus: A cause of severe headache as a result of obstetric epidural anesthesia (P3. 048). Neurology. 2015;84(14 Supplement):P3-048. Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Breastfeeding, A Guide for the Medical Profession. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2015. Torelli P, Manzoni GC. Fasting headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2010;14(4):284-91. doi:10.1007/s11916-010-0119-5 Yılmaz E, Ünal Çevik I. Headache in challenging and special circumstances: Pregnancy and lactation. Agri. 2018;30(4):153-164. doi:10.5505/agri.2018.85688 Agarwal S, Goel D, Sharma A. Evaluation of the factors which contribute to the ocular complaints in computer users. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013;7(2):331–335. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2013/5150.2760 Gryglas A. Allergic Rhinitis and Chronic Daily Headaches: Is There a Link?. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2016;16(4):33. doi:10.1007/s11910-016-0631-z Additional Reading Riordan J, Wambach K. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Fourth Edition. Jones and Bartlett Learning; 2014.